In this candid interview, JJ Lee guides us through the tricky waters of memoir editing. From the mentoring skills needed to do the job to identifying an author’s narrative springboard, JJ’s insights can help enhance any editor’s toolkit.

WCE

Let us start. How do you approach storytelling and personal narratives in your work? And what drew you to the nonfiction genre?

JJ Lee

Oh, that’s a three-part question. What drew me to nonfiction is my background. When I was approached to start writing, I was already a radio journalist and had started participating in semi-experimental programs like Outfront at the CBC, where they were bringing in first-time broadcasters to do small 15-minute documentaries. I challenged a former Globetrotter, Mel Davis, to one-on-one basketball, then I did a documentary called “Typewriter Guy” and another one, “Sing Like Marvin.” That began my role of jumping in and doing things.